By Thai Newsroom Reporters
YODCHANAN WONGSAWAT, one of a trio of Pheu Thai candidates for prime minister, today (Jan.5) categorically dismissed the possibility that a certain person might already be predestined to be named head of government after the Feb.5 election and advised that all voters be given due respect as part of the electoral process in which they will freely pick any contestants of their own.
Yodchanan, nephew of de facto Pheu Thai boss/inmate Thaksin Shinawatra, remarked that he personally does not believe any specific person of any contesting party could possibly be predetermined by anyone else to assume the elected premiership regardless of results of the nationwide election scheduled for Feb.8 and contended that the people be given respect to the extent that they uninhibitedly exercise their rights to vote for anyone or party of their own choice.
Yodchanan, son of former prime minister Somchai Wongsawat and Thasin’s sister Yaowapa Wongsawat, is contesting for prime minister under the Pheu Thai tickets alongside partisan running mates namely Pheu Thai electoral campaign director Suriya Juangroongraungkit and Pheu Thai leader Julapun Amornvivat.
Thaksin’s nephew was apparently responding to criticism that Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has been covertly predestined by the unidentified powers-that-be to retain his elected premiership following the general election no matter how many MP seats the Bhumjaithai, core of the caretaker coalition government where he acts as party leader, could possibly get out of the nationwide race to parliament.
The Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob are more or less anticipated to spearhead a post-election alliance with a few major camps such as the likes of the Pheu Thai and Klatham under de facto party boss/Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Agriculture & Cooperatives Minister Thammanat Prompao regardless of the number of MPs which Newin’s camp will have gotten in the first place.
Even if the Bhumjaithai were outvoted by the People’s and came up as the second largest party, Newin’s camp could possibly manage to become core of a future coalition consisting of the third or fourth largest elected party as well as relatively small camps and outpace the largest elected one in effort to set up a coalition government.
Given the planned Bhumjaithai-led alliance, Anutin would undoubtedly be named head of government either with or without Thaksin’s camp, among others, as a coalition partner.
If Newin’s ultra-conservative camp, largely speculated to be given solid support, albeit in hush-hush, discreet fashion from the unnamed powers-that-be among the country’s elite elements, managed to set up a post-election coalition government with themselves practically becoming its core, the reformist People’s would likely be thrown into the opposition bloc at parliament either with or without the Old School conservative Democrats being on the same side of the House chamber’s aisle.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page – Pheu Thai candidate for prime minister Yodchanan Wongsawat canvassing during New Year holidays. Photos – Amarin TV
Insert – Caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. Photo – Amarin TV
Also read:
Election Commission urged to look into Anutin’s Copay-Plus promise
937,000 voters wish to cast early votes
3,731 drink-driving cases in six days of New Year holidays
Maduro to appear in US court, Trump says further strikes on Venezuela possible
